Many years ago, an old lady used to come by. She would ring the bell. She would gesture that she wants clothes. She was suffering from some kind of partial paralysis, and so couldn't speak properly. She could only manage a few sounds. She was also very frail and petite. I used to generally honour her request, and give her some of my clothes.
One day, the bell rang again. I picked up the intercom to ask who it was. She responded, as usual, with some sounds. So I knew it was her, and I headed towards my closet.
In our culture, a ladies' suit is generally shalwar or pant, kameez and a dupatta.
As I went in to my closet to take out something for her, I thought to myself that I have never seen her wearing any of the clothes I part with. So, why not give her something I am not so fond of. So, I took off the hanger a suit which I didn't like and didn't want to wear. I put it in a bag and went to the gate.
There she was, probably for the very first time, wearing a combination of three different suits of mine: a different shalwar, a different kameez and a different dupatta. All three suits I had been fond of; I had given them to her because we should give things we like when giving for the sake of Allah (Q2:267, Q3:92); and since it had been quite a while, I had even forgotten about these clothes.
Though I had not spoken aloud, Allah knew my thoughts, and He showed me that He knows our thoughts, and remembers everything! (Q2:284, Q17:25, Q20:7)
It has been a while since the old lady passed away. I thank Allah for the opportunity to serve, and the lesson taught to me through her. May Allah forgive every opportunity we lost, or failed to use properly. May Allah accept our charities, and increase us in good thoughts and good deeds, which are accepted and invested in our eternal future. May Allah increase us in guidance and goodness.
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